Scent Awakening
by Knarx
Summary: On the night of Harry’s Awakening someone close to him did something dishonourable and now Harry cannot sense his own kind, let alone his mate. H/D, Slash. Takes place Seventh Year. HBP compliant.


**Hi everyone, it's been forever since I've written anything. Believe it or not Tamed ch 10 is about half written. My muse kinda left me when my old laptop went onto laptop heaven. So, here it is, a new story. Harry Potter!!! Hope you enjoy the first chappy cuz I can't wait to finish this one. Stay tuned, lots of updates ahead! I'm missing good hours of sleep guys, any minute now my head will hit the keyboard and jdkgjuoaeigjaregiojr. mmrf, sorry fell asleep there a moment. Well, what are ya waitin for, read on, and please review! Lots of reviewing plz, it make the muse sing!**

**DISCLAIMER: _This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended._**

**Summary: On the night of Harry's Awakening one close to him did something dishonourable and now Harry cannot sense his own kind, let alone his mate. H/D, mild HP/SS and HP/Firenze – think vampires—non-sexual. Slash. Takes place seventh year. HBP compliant. Creature fic.**

**Rating: NC-17, sexual content in later chapters, language, etc. Mpreg, is talked about in my story, but it is not the basis of the plot. **

**UPDATE: 03/01/10 - This chapter has been beta'd by the very generous Sevfan. I am still looking for a compentent beta, so if you're interested, let me know.**

Scent Awakening

Chapter 1

Harry pushed the food on his plate around, passing the time. He only had to wait for the Welcoming Feast to end and then he could find something that was more appetising than Hogwarts' food.

He occasionally pretended to take a bite, so as not to worry his friends. As soon as the food entered his mouth he used a mental _Evanesco,_ while pretending to chew and swallow.

Hermione was not one to be easily fooled, however. "Harry, how can you eat that?! It looks...it looks like...like-"

"-Like something you would upchuck, mate," Ron finished for her.

"Ron! Honestly!" Hermione turned to Ron, disgust clearly on her face.

"What? That's what you were thinking, wasn't it?"

Hermione grimaced, looking back at Harry's plate of food, and biting her bottom lip -- mashed potatoes, peas, chicken, gravy, and some other things that she couldn't identify. Mixed up as it was, it DID look like "upchuck."

Harry took another "bite" of his food, and smiled at Hermione as if to say, "See, I like it."

Hermione looked at Harry's smiling mouth and then at his fork, and then met his eyes. Her eyebrows drew together. Harry took another "bite."

Harry knew he'd been caught out, when Hermione's gaze met his.

"Don't think you can fool me, Harry Potter. I know that you're using _Evanesco_! That's very dangerous Harry - Vanishing something you cannot see," Hermione admonished; she was about to go into one of her long lectures, but Harry interrupted.

"How can I Vanish it, if I haven't got my wand?" Harry inquired, waving his left hand at Hermione. "I just like it mixed, 'Mione."

Hermione looked at him pointedly. "Since when, exactly?"

Harry shrugged, shoving another "bite" into his mouth.

"Harry, mate, why haven't you got your wand, it's awful important to always carry your wand, no offence, mate, but you especially should always have your wand."

Harry chose to ignore Ron, taking his glass of pumpkin juice and taking a sip. He was about to Vanish it when he realised that it wasn't pumpkin juice that he was drinking, it was -- _Thank Dobby! _Harry thought, and quickly drank the rest, savouring it to the last drop. He'd have to stop by the kitchen later to thank the elf personally.

Hermione and Ron watched their friend as he finished his drink. Harry looked like he was in ecstasy, and over pumpkin juice, of all things. The two friends caught each other's eyes, there was definitely something up with Harry.

Harry waited for his glass to refill itself, before drinking more; Dobby was a miracle worker. While the drink looked like pumpkin juice and smelled like pumpkin juice, Harry knew what Dobby had actually put into his goblet. The elf deserved a whole year's supply of socks, in every known colour.

~*~*~

Draco watched as Potter realised that pumpkin juice wasn't what was in his goblet, watched as Potter's pink tongue licked the last drop of substance from the rim, savouring the drink.

"Salazar's knickers, Potter, give it away, will you!" Draco mentally admonished.

Draco took a sip of his own "drink." The house-elves had filled his goblet as well with the same sustenance as Potter's.

Draco snorted, Potter looked as though he was upon orgasm, and his friends were "Potter watching," as well. Of course they were, to them, Potter was practically salivating over pumpkin juice.

"Draky, what's so funny?" Pansy inquired, tugging on his arm like a leech – could the bint never get a clue – following Draco's line of sight.

"Merlin, look at him!" Pansy giggled, "Must be some bloody fantastic pumpkin juice.

"Maybe he's getting some under the table," Blaise added from Draco's opposite side.

Draco growled. _He is not! _Draco nearly screeched. He did, however, grab Blaise's collar, pulling him forward, so they were eye level. "Take it back," the blond Slytherin growled, before controlling himself and letting his friend go. Draco forced himself to calm down, gulping in air, and letting it out slowly.

Blaise's eyes widened as he righted his robes. "Bloody fuck, Drake, what's gotten your knickers in a knot, it's just bloody Potter! You got it up for him or what?! Fuck!"

Draco quickly amended the situation; it wouldn't do to let them think him chummy with The Golden Boy. "I'd watch my choice of words, Blaise, were I you." The blond added more calmly, "And thanks to your unseemly comment, I'm not getting it up for anybody. Merlin, why'd you have to imbue that image upon me, bloody, the Granger!" Draco grimaced.

"Eww! No, well, I see how you came upon that imagery, she is sitting awful close, but sick! Sorry, Drake."

Draco ignored Blaise, taking a long sip from his goblet, so he could further watch Potter.

Golden Boy had just stood to leave. Draco's exceptional hearing picked up the Weasel's and Granger's protests that Potter should stay for the welcoming speech.

Granger said, "Harry, you can't leave, it'd be disrespectful to Prof-Headmistress McGonagall."

Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes.

The Weasel added, "Mate, I know it's hard with Dumbledore gone and all, but it'd be an awful bad example to the first years."

Merlin's balls, the Weasel sounded like Granger, the blond felt slightly ill. Two Grangers, bloody hell!

"Thank you, Ron. Harry, I know how you must feel, I feel that way too. I-I miss Headmaster Dumbledore too."

Potter's face was becoming an interesting shade of red. Golden Boy was getting pissed! The Weasel and the Grange had no way to know how far off they were. The blond could sense Potter's hunger across the Great Hall; he wanted something fresher than the sustenance in his goblet, Draco understood, he did too.

"Come on, mate, sit back down, stay—" The Weasel grabbed Potter's sleeve but quickly let go upon seeing the expression upon Potter's face.

"Look, if I wanted to stay and listen to McGonagall blather on about Dumbledore- Merlin, look, you're right, alright? I-I've got to go." Potter abruptly turned away from Weasel and Granger, and stalked towards the doors.

_Nice one, Potter,_ Draco thought. For appearances, Draco called, loud enough for all to hear, "Poor Potty, all torn to bits over his poor _dearly_ deceased _Head_master, oh, Potty, I feel your pain, I do—"

"Fuck you, Malfoy!" Potter stopped, but didn't turn around and snorted. The Golden Boy's head turned to look at Draco and winked, a lascivious smile upon his face, fangs barely noticeable, "Oh, but you already know I can, or have you forgotten? Later, love." With that, Potter stalked out of the Great Hall.

Draco swallowed, and sat back down, muttering, "Bloody-Fucking-Boy-Who-Bloody-Can't-Bloody-Fucking-Die!"

"Draky? Y-you and Potter?" Pansy looked stricken, like he'd been keeping secrets – dangerous secrets – putting their very lives in the Dark Lord's hands, but he hadn't. Potter's statement couldn't be further from the truth.

"Disgusting, Pans'," Draco hissed.

The blond wanted to follow Potter. However, his godfather had forbidden him from going anywhere near Potter, for reasons unbeknownst to Draco. Uncle Severus had threatened Draco with two months of detention should he defy him.

Draco glanced over at the professor's tables, searching until he found his Head of House. Their eyes met; his godfather gave the barest of nods, letting his godson know that they would talk later.

~*~*~

Harry stalked out of the Great Hall, decidedly towards the Entrance Hall. He then hoped to make his way to the Forbidden Forest, where he would hopefully find sustenance; a rabbit perhaps, or something larger. The goblets that Dobby had _not_ filled with pumpkin juice were great, but it wasn't fresh, not like partaking from the living. Harry didn't actually know this for certain as Harry hadn't as far as he knew ever taken sustenance from anything other than goblets given to him by Dobby, the erstwhile house-elf bent on worshipping Harry Potter and doing anything for Harry that made him happy.

Harry's head tilted, his ears picking up the newly instated Headmistress McGonagall's welcoming speech. "...We have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor this year, as Professor Snape is once again going to be teaching Potions. Please, welcome back Professor Mad-Eye Moody." Silence from the Great Hall. "We also have a new Transfiguration professor. Please welcome Professor Nymphadora Tonks. She has asked, however, that you call her Professor Tonks." Harry heard applause erupt throughout the Great Hall.

Harry turned a corner and abruptly halted as he sensed someone's presence before actually colliding with them. Harry met the cold gaze of Professor Snape.

~*~*~

Severus stared down at Harry Potter, at least the young brat had enough brains to listen to his instincts before he'd actually run into him.

"Mr. Potter, may I ask as to where it is that is so dreadfully important that you felt the need to leave in such haste? Are you so out of control with your inheritance that you could not wait? Or is the sustenance that that pathetic house-elf or yours brings you, not enough?"

"I-I, it's not the same, I-I was-" Severus watched as Potter wrinkled his nose and his senses told him the answer. "You're...like me."

Severus looked pensive for several moments. "Yes, Mr. Potter. You have it right, and you know what else? I can _taste_ it on my tongue; your hunger." Severus paused, letting his words sink in. "And tell me, Potter, where is it you hoped to find this sustenance," Severus hissed. "A fellow student, perhaps, no, your Gryffindorish hero-complex wouldn't allow that, no, where is it, then, the Forbidden Forest? Or are you going to attack me – your much hated Potions professor?"

Potter's eyes narrowed. "You're baiting me, why? What, are you on offer, or something?"

Severus raised one thin eyebrow. Potter's temper was oh-so tempting sometimes. "And what, pray tell, gives you the idea that my _blood_ would quench your sustenance, at all?" The Potions master knew that Potter couldn't possibly know anything, he was guessing, besides it was not yet time for Potter to partake of his life's blood.

Potter, who until now had avoided thinking about what his sustenance was, frowned, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Nothing, I-I...it just seemed I don't know, that you were –"

Severus cut Potter off before his annoying babbling gave him a migraine. "Mr. Potter, come with me." The Potions master pivoted, gliding down the hall in the opposite direction he'd come.

~*~*~

Harry followed Snape through the castle, no longer struggling to keep pace with the man. Where was Snape taking him? Was he actually going to help him? But didn't he practically say that he was not going to give Harry any sustenance? Harry was confused. Where was Snape taking him?

The two men rounded a couple more corners and down one more flight of stairs before Snape abruptly stopped, turned towards Harry and said, "Mr. Potter, I'm sure you've met Firenze."

It was not a question but Harry answered anyway," Yes, of course, nice to see you again, Professor." Harry nodded his greeting to the beautiful centaur before him. They were right outside Firenze's classroom and the centaur's current abode as he had been exiled by his kind for fraternising too much with the humans.

"Good to see you as well, Harry, please, call me Firenze, as I am neither your professor, nor a formal acquaintance; I am your Centaur."

Harry's mouth gaped. "My what?"

Firenze glanced at Snape, the centaur's long yellow-blond hair sweeping across his breathtaking features temporarily, before settling once again in loose tendrils at his shoulders. "Severus, how does he not know?" Snape slightly shook his head, which seemed to be good enough answer for the centaur. "Very well, another time then. Harry," Firenze addressed. "Please, come inside."

~*~*~

Harry barely hesitated before following Firenze into his abode. Snape had nodded to Firenze and then retreated back to the Great Hall, robes billowing behind him.

Firenze motioned Harry to come closer and sit down, but Harry declined, choosing instead to stand by the door in case he needed to make a quick escape.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Harry." Firenze spoke calmly, as though he understood Harry's apprehension. "As your Centaur, I am your protector as well as your source of sustenance when needed or until you find your mate."

Harry's eyes widened, bewilderment filling his features, then his eyes narrowed. "My Centaur, my sustenance, my MATE?! What are you talking about? Snape doesn't seem to want for you to say anything or was I seeing things? Why does everyone always feel like they have to keep things from me-"

"Harry, calm down, I will explain everything, in due time. Professor Snape simply wanted for me to wait until he left before explaining things to you that for some reason you do not already have the knowledge of."

Firenze stepped forward, a column of light reflecting through the window, engulfing the centaur, and illuminating him. The light seemed to have a magic of its own as its brightness intensified, until naught but the light could be seen. Firenze's visage was lost for but a moment. Then he seemed to walk out of the light towards Harry, as not a centaur, but as a man. His skin still tinted blue, his hair still yellow-blond but longer falling to the middle of his back, his face still beautiful, still centaur yet more human, longer, more angular. His tail swished behind him, the same yellow-blond of his hair, having not gone with his hooves, where two legs now stood. A light seemed to have seeped into his skin, as it softly glowed, making Firenze luminous.

Harry's face was one of pure wonderment and awe as words escaped him.

"Only the Centaur's Childe and its mate are allowed to look upon our true form. Only vampires can see our true nature as we can only see theirs, as well. Come, Childe, for this is all you are to learn this day, and feed upon this centaur's life's blood."

Harry seemed to shake out of whatever daze he'd fallen into and met the real Firenze's eyes, unmoving. The compulsion to listen, to walk, towards Firenze as he was bid, was nearly overwhelming. Harry made half moon shapes in his palms, so tight were his fists clenched. "No, I will not," Harry whispered through his teeth.

"I do not understand why you fight so, why you do not seem to understand what you are or who I am to you. Come, for it is important for you to know these things. Come, and feed as you are meant to."

Harry took a step forward and stopped struggling to not move; his eyes changed colour, glowing bright, but they weren't vampire eyes that met Firenze's centaur ones. In that moment, understanding came upon Firenze's features and he advanced towards Harry, so fast that the young man's nonhuman eyes did not see him move. Firenze was just suddenly in front of him.

Firenze drew his thumbnail across the right side of his own neck, breaking the skin, and causing blood to pool and slowly dribble down to meet his collarbone. The Centaur's eyes began to glow as he stared down at Harry, capturing him with his gaze. "Feed, my Childe, and know yourself." Firenze put his hand behind Harry's neck, drawing him close and guiding him to feed.

Harry seemingly frozen in place let Firenze guide his head to the wound. His instincts took over. As the fresh scent of living blood assaulted his senses, he first licked gently at the cut, savouring the flavour of such as he had never tasted, but somehow familiar, and then his fangs elongated, and he sunk them deep into Firenze, partaking of his first true meal.

Harry luxuriated in the heavenly flavour, the texture, the feel, oh how it felt so good. Then the images came, quick flashes of things Harry did not understand, and some that held familiarity yet did not hold any meaning to him. Harry's body seized against Firenze as image upon image assaulted his psyche. When they were done, Harry collapsed in his Centaur's embrace. Now understanding what Firenze was to him, who he was to him, and Harry came upon an understanding that something was horribly wrong. He should have recognised his Centaur, he should have known of him, and how to find him. And most of all, he should have to known about his mate, should have felt the pull, and yet, "I feel nothing, I can't feel my mate, I should feel them, be able to find them. I didn't sense what Snape was, I smelt it; I still cannot sense him or any other vampire. Why Firenze, why can't I feel them! Why?! What's wrong with me?! I-I can feel you, I can sense you, I know who you are to me, now, why can't I also feel the others? Firenze, what's—?"

"In due time, my Childe, in due time." Firenze pulled Harry close as the teen wept for the first time since Dumbledore's death, over things he did not even know how to feel sad for. For how does one miss what they do not themselves know?

Harry knew that Firenze was in part lying to him, he did know, or at least suspect why Harry didn't recognise the pull of his mate or sense other vampires, but he also knew that he was also telling the truth, that truly in due time he would know them. Harry knew from the knowledge he had gathered from the memories that he could utterly trust his Centaur and that his telling him to wait was not like Dumbledore's knack for riddles; the little pieces of fact gave Harry just enough to go on but not enough to substantiate the mind.

~*~*~

Firenze held his Childe, trembling in his arms as he rode out the overwhelming sadness of the not knowing what he should have known. The centaur held Harry a little tighter while he pondered which route he would take to find the truth. Firenze truly did believe he knew why his Childe did not know what he should and sense what he should be able to sense from the time of his awakening.

Firenze would have a very long talk with Severus about what he believed to have taken place and who it was with those same eyes -- that Harry's had become -- that had awakened the fledgling vampire, because the one who had, had greatly dishonoured his Childe. The centaur believed that Severus could perhaps lead as to whom since he was already certain of the what.

TBC

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